This study assessed the performance of six solar radiation models. The objective was to determine the most accurate model for estimating global solar radiation on a horizontal surface in Nigeria. Twenty-two years meteorological data sets collected from the Nigerian Meteorological agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the three regions, covering the entire climatic zones in Nigeria were utilized for calibrating and validating the selected models for Nigeria. The accuracy and applicability of various models were determined for three locations (Abuja, Benin City, and Sokoto), which spread across Nigeria using seven viable statistical indices. This study found that the estimation results of considered models are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level, but their accuracy varies from one location to another. However, the multivariable regression relationship deduced in terms of sunshine ratio, air temperature ratio, maximum air temperature, and cloudiness performs better than other relationships. The multivariable relationship has the least root mean square error and mean absolute bias error, not exceeding 1.0854 and 0.8160 MJ m −2 day −1 , respectively, and monthly relative percentage error in the range of ± 12% for the study areas.

The rapid growth of the mobile telecommunication sectors of many emerging countries creates a number of problems such as network congestion and poor service delivery for network operators. This results primarily from the lack of a reliable and cost-effective power solution within such regions. This study presents a comprehensive review of the underlying principles of the renewable energy technology (RET) with the objective of ensuring a reliable and cost-effective energy solution for a sustainable development in the emerging world. The grid-connected hybrid renewable energy system incorporating a power conversion and battery storage unit has been proposed based on the availability, dynamism, and technoeconomic viability of energy resources within the region. The proposed system's performance validation applied a simulation model developed in MATLAB, using a practical load data for different locations with varying climatic conditions in Nigeria. Results indicate that, apart from being environmentally friendly, the increase in the overall energy throughput of about 4 kWh/$ of the proposed system would not only improve the quality of mobile services, by making the operations of GSM base stations more reliable and cost effective, but also better the living standards of the host communities.

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The numerical solution of the partial differential equation (PDE) of the received signal strength from fixed transmitting stations as derived from Maxwell’s wave equation is presented in this paper. The received signal strength level (RSSL) at a defined distance from a source point (base transceiver station) was simulated for two real environments described as Sites 1 and 2. The values of RSSL were taken at different nodes and at different radial directions away from the source point using the Finite Element Method (FEM) tool of the MATLAB package. The hexagonal geometry with no describing function was assumed for the cell. A 3-D model of the power received versus distance was obtained, and the numerical solution of the model presented. The numerical results obtained from the 3-D model were compared with the results of the drive test conducted in Sites 1 and 2 for functional GSM radio networks in the areas. The suitability of the method was justified for the two sites with a 5.55dB standard deviation of error for network A in Site 1 and 8.36dB and 3.40dB standard deviations of error for networks A and B respectively for Site 2.